- Details
- Category: Industry News
Marlton, N.J. — It’s hard to believe we’re less than a week away from the 2019 Chauffeur Driven Show in Boston. We’ve got a great show planned at the spectacular all-under-one-roof Westin Boston Waterfront, and we’re especially excited to announce the content of our always insightful State of the Industry panel. Sponsored by FASTTRAK Cloud Technologies, the State of the Industry will held on Monday, October 14, at 11:15 am.
Robert Alexander
Brett Barenholtz
Douglas Schwartz
Whether it’s entering the motorcoach game, finding reliable chauffeurs and CDL drivers, automation and technology, or just maintaining profitability, there are myriad topics on the minds of today’s operators. This year’s State of the Industry offers a no-holds-barred conversation with an all-star panel of operators, who will lend some clarity to your thorniest of issues. Moderated by CD Publisher Chris Weiss, the SOTI will feature three seasoned panelists with companies of varying sizes from the largest markets in the Northeast—Robert Alexander of RMA Worldwide (D.C.), Brett Barenholtz of Above All Transportation/Boston Car Service (Boston), and Douglas Schwartz of Executive Ground Transportation (New York)— sharing their knowledge, wisdom, opinions, and humorous anecdotes from their triumphs and missteps in the business. Other topics will include M&A, the unfair competition posed by TNCs, generations of employees, developing an exit strategy, and more. Trending and timely matters such as California’s AB5 bill and rising minimum wages across the country will also be addressed.
Whether you have two cars or twenty, there’s sure to be germane advice that you can glean from these industry experts. What’s more, you’re not going to want a second of this session, as we will close the State of the Industry with a huge announcement that is sure to set the industry abuzz.
Between now and the Show, be sure to take a minute to visit your favorite app store and download our brand-new app, sponsored by North Point Global Transportation Services. To access everything you need to plan and navigate the show, look no further than your smartphone. In addition to accessing interactive maps, our full show schedule, PowerPoints and handouts from seminars, and a list of speakers, sponsors, and exhibitors, check out our new features for 2019.
Create a Personal Agenda
You asked for it, and we’re excited to finally offer it! Our app now allows you to schedule personal appointments with other app users, whether it’s having coffee with an affiliate or dinner with a vendor. Don’t forget that you can also customize your show agenda by saving events that you don’t want to miss and receive reminders beforehand.
Show Floor Digital Passport
Up for a little bit of fun on our show floor? Earn points by visiting exhibitors with our Digital Passport. How it works: Many of our exhibitors will have a QR code displayed somewhere in their booth that you can scan (through the app) to collect points. The more booths you visit, the more points you get. You not only get to see all of the amazing products and deals that our exhibitors have to offer, your points translate into chances to win our grand prize, which will be announced on Wednesday afternoon on the show floor (you must be present to win).
Valued at more than $4,000, our incredible grand prize includes:
- 1 pass and a 3-night hotel stay for the 2020 CD/NLA Show in Las Vegas (2/23-2/26)
- 1 pass and a 2-night hotel stay for the 2020 CD Executive Retreat in Nashville (6/14-6/17)
- 1 pass and a 3-night hotel stay for the 2020 CD/NLA Show in Orlando (10/11-10/14)
- A 2-page story on your 2020 experience in the December 2020 issue of CD Exclusive
Coupons and Deals
Be in the know with our exclusive show-only savings that allow you to take home the products or purchase the services that you need at deep discounts! Click on the Coupons tab in the app to see the exhibitors who have a special offer to make it a bit easier on your wallet. These hot deals are only available on our app and expire with the close of the show, so be sure to check them out.
Engage With Other Show-goers on Our Social Media Feeds
If you used our app last year, then you already are familiar with the incredible community that was created on our social media wall. There was friendly competition, useful tips, lots of photos, and plenty of camaraderie shared among our app users.
Download before the show to access our entire schedule and to receive special app-only alerts leading up to the event!
Even though we’re days away from the Show kick-off, there’s still time to register. Don’t miss out on the industry event of the year. There’s nowhere better from education, networking, deals, and fun than the #2019CDShow.
Visit chauffeurdrivenshow.com for more information.
[CD1019]
- Details
- Category: Industry News
Glenn Centolanza of Limo Today (left) with CD Business Development Manager Jeff Rafkin
Doylestown, Pa. —The Philadelphia Regional Limousine Association (PRLA) welcomed nearly 30 attendees to its September 25 meeting at Fred Beans of Doylestown. CD Business Development Manager Jeff Rafkin and Editor Madeleine Maccar were among those at the evening event, which was sponsored by Lancer Insurance and Prevost/Volvo Motorcoaches.
PRLA President Johnny Donohoe of Sterling Limousine welcomed everyone, paying particular mind to introducing the association’s newest member, Darla Malik of Advantage Chauffeur Services, as well as the evening’s sponsors (Lancer Insurance and Prevost/Volvo Motorcoaches) and Chris Burns, Fred Beans’ Leasing and Sales Consultant.
Chris Burns of Fred Beans
With a broad range of items on the agenda, the evening’s educational component ranged from discussing the association itself to nurturing industry relationships to the risks inherent in putting vehicles and people on the road every day.
Donohoe talked about what the association itself does for members, as the PRLA is currently accepting nominations for its Board of Directors. He encouraged interested parties to nominate themselves or a peer, explaining how the association relies on active participation to keep offering its members a unified voice, cohesive network, and ongoing education. The new board will be implemented January 1.
L to R: PRLA Secretary Tracy Salinger of Unique Limousine, PRLA President Johnny Donohoe of Sterling Limousine, and CD Editor Madeleine Maccar
Both Burns and Prevost representative Jay Snead discussed their respective companies’ relationships with the luxury ground transportation providers they serve. Burns explained how Fred Beans has been keeping an eye on its inventory of the discontinued Lincoln MKTs that the industry relies on so that there won’t be an immediate hole to fill while members vouched for the dealership’s dedication to operators; Snead talked about how “you want Prevost for when it’s broken,” particularly since the company advocates for proactive maintenance rather than reactive repairs.
Bob Crescenzo of Lancer Insurance then gave a presentation on risk management that illustrated how “the risks you take every day by driving people around is the nature of your business” and the importance of minimizing those inherent hazards.
L to R: Pete Corelli of Lakeview Custom Coach, Steve Edelmann of Royale, and George Lee of Expressway Capital Group
After asking a few questions that confirmed how easily it is to lose focus while driving, Crescenzo clarified and explained the three types of driving distractions—visual, manual, and cognitive—and why any successful chauffeur training program should address how to handle them. He also explained how important it is to remain diligent in maintaining strict guidelines for a driving team, especially as a safeguard in the event of an accident.
“What matters is that someone’s attorney wants to make you look like a bad company if one of your chauffeurs is involved in an accident,” Crescenzo explained. “If you’re letting your drivers get away with going even five to eight miles over the speed limit or if you’re not firing them over serious customer complaints, it will reflect badly on you and your company.”
Crescenzo also outlined common distractions like fatigue and technology, discussed the most common accidents and how to avoid them, and went into detail about “change blindness,” or “missing something right in front of your eyes because your brain anticipates a familiar route being one way and then something else happens that you don’t expect.”
At the end of the meeting, Maccar talked about what operators can expect at the upcoming Chauffeur Driven Show in Boston and, since it was Rafkin’s first meeting since joining the CD team, he introduced himself to attendees. They raffled off a pass to the show, which was won by Glenn Centolanza of Limo Today.
The next PRLA meeting will be November 13.
Visit prlainc.com for more information.
[CD1019]
- Details
- Category: Industry News
The NLA Board of Directors meets face to face four times a year
Marlton, N.J. —The clock is ticking: The deadline for the National Limousine Association’s (NLA’s) 2020 NLA Board of Directors election is a little more than 24 hours away, so get those applications in now! All completed nomination submissions—including all of the requisite forms—are due October 9, 2019, at 11:59 PDT.
The following seats are open for the upcoming Board election for the 2020-2023 term:
* At Large: 1 seat (any state in U.S.)
* U.S. Central Region: 1 seat (AR, IA, IL, IN, KS, LA, MI, MN, MO, ND, NE, OH, OK, SD, TX, WI)
* U.S. Northeast Region: 2 seats (CT, MA, ME, NH, NJ, NY, PA, RI, VT) [For the Northeast Region, the candidate with the highest number of votes is elected to a 3-year term; he candidate with the next highest number of votes will be elected to a 1-year term]
* U.S. Southeast Region: 1 seat (AL, DE,D.C., FL, GA, KY, MD, MS, NC, SC, TN, VA, WV)
* U.S. West Region: 1 seat (AK, AZ, CA, CO, HI, ID, MT, NV, NM, OR, UT, WA, WY)
According to NLA Bylaws (Article 6, Sections B and C), all prospective directors must meet the following criteria:
—The individual must be a corporate officer or principal of a Regular Active Member company that has been a Regular Active Member for at least two consecutive years;
—Any Regular Active Member sharing common ownership with another Regular Active Member can only have one representative on the NLA Board of Directors at one time;
—A member of the NLA Board shall not be a member of another board of directors that is competitive to the NLA or the limousine industry; and
—Membership dues must be current for the Regular Active Member.
In addition to NLA Bylaw qualifications, the individual must be able to devote the required time and be able to pay the travel/related expenses (that are not reimbursed by the NLA) to attend board meetings. NLA Board members receive a per diem reimbursement for travel expenses.
The board meets on a monthly basis, either via conference calls (8) or face-to-face meetings (4). Per the bylaws, any director who fails to attend two (2) regular meetings due to an unexcused absence may be removed from office by a majority vote of the directors. Additionally, board members are requested to support fundraising efforts for the NLA PAC and the Harold Berkman Memorial Fund.
The following documents MUST be submitted by ALL applicants:
* A brief biography that describes your background in the limousine industry.
* A paragraph that explains why you want to serve on the NLA Board of Directors and what your goals for the NLA will be if you are elected.
* A high-resolution headshot of yourself (in electronic format).
* Proof of legality in the cities/states/airports in which Regular Active Member operates. (Example: state, city, or airport permit or license)
* Certificate of insurance verifying Regular Active Member compliance with the state/federal requirements.
* Proof of your corporate officer position. (Example: Corporate resolution or articles of incorporation listing officers/shareholders)
* An explanation of anything the nominating committee should know about you that might reflect adversely on the NLA.
Applications can be submitted at limo.org/page/NLABODApplication. Applications submitted without all of the above documents will not be valid.
Visit limo.org for more information.
[CD1019]